Cacio e Pepe Pasta (Printable)

Roman classic featuring spaghetti with creamy Pecorino Romano and aromatic black pepper.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 7 oz spaghetti or tonnarelli

→ Cheese & Seasoning

02 - 2.8 oz Pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated
03 - 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
04 - 1/2 tsp salt for pasta water

→ Other

05 - 4 cups water

# Directions:

01 - Bring 4 cups of water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add the salt and stir until dissolved.
02 - Add the spaghetti to the boiling water. Cook until al dente, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Reserve about 1 cup of the starchy cooking water before draining.
03 - While pasta cooks, add the black pepper to a large skillet over medium heat. Toast for 1 minute until fragrant, stirring constantly.
04 - Pour 1/2 cup of the reserved hot pasta water into the skillet with the toasted pepper. Let it simmer gently.
05 - In a mixing bowl, combine the grated Pecorino Romano with a few tablespoons of hot pasta water. Mix vigorously to form a thick, smooth paste.
06 - Transfer the cooked spaghetti to the skillet with the pepper infusion. Toss thoroughly to coat. Remove from heat.
07 - Gradually incorporate the cheese paste into the pasta, tossing rapidly. Add more reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a creamy, silky sauce that evenly coats each strand.
08 - Serve immediately while hot. Top with additional grated Pecorino Romano and a fresh grinding of black pepper.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • You probably have everything in your kitchen right now, making it the perfect weeknight rescue dinner.
  • When you nail that silky, emulsified sauce, you will feel like an actual magician.
02 -
  • If your sauce looks grainy or separated, add more hot pasta water while tossing and keep the pan off the heat.
  • The cheese mixture must be added away from direct heat, or the proteins will seize up and you will never recover that smooth texture.
03 -
  • Room temperature cheese incorporates much more smoothly than cold cheese, so take it out of the fridge while you boil the water.
  • The smaller you grate your Pecorino, the faster and smoother it will melt into that perfect emulsion.

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